Tension-device



June 21, 1932. E. R. SWANSON ,863,951

TENSION DEVICE Filed July 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l M 7am.

June 21, 1932. E R SWANSON 1,863,951

TENSION DEVICE Filed July 21. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K 5 A 46 I n 25 z l 23 4 6 Patented June 21, 1932 ERNEST R. SWANSON, OF CBANSTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL WIND- PATENT QFFICE ING COMPANY, OF BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS TENSION-DEVICE Application filed July 21, 1931. Serial No. 552,283.

This invention relates to improvements in tension-devices for tensioning yarn, thread and other strand materials, hereinafter referred to generally by the term yarn. The present tension-device is of the disk type embodying a pair of opposite concavo-convex elements between which the yarn passes to apply resistance to its draft.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a tension-device capable of applying tension to a yarn, thread or other strand delivering at a high linear rate with the degree of tension maintained constant and uniform under all conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tension-device of the type specified in which the tension elements or disks are not subject'to vibration or chattering whereby to insure .against fluctuations in the degree of tension applied to the yarn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tension-device of the type specified in which both of the opposite tension-members or disks are rotated under the draft of the yarn to minimize the wear thereon and to prevent the accumulation of lint, dirt or other foreign matter on the disks or other parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified wherein one member or disk is caused to be rotated by the drag of the yarn and the opposite member or disk rotated therefrom through its engagement therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type specified in which one of the disks is rotated continuously from the draft of the yarn at a relatively fast rate, while the other disk has only a slow, creeping movement as imparted to it by the first disk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tension-device which is simple in construction, proof against derangement or getting out of order, durable in use over long periods. and generally more efiicient in pcration for the purposes specified.

Further objects .of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes two preferred forms of construction of the device as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference charac:

ters designate like parts. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a general plan view showing the improved tension-device applied to use for tensioning thread or yarn delivering from a conical form of supply package;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the ten-' sion-device with its central post or stud shown in. section to better. illustrate the ,arrangement of the tension-disks; i i

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the tension-device taken on line 3-3 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is'a similar line 44 of Fig. 2and illustrating a modification in the form of construction of one of the tension-disks.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the improved tension-device as applied to use on a creel or other supply-holder for delivering yarn in multiple in Warping and other processes. As here shown the yarn packageis in the form of a cone C which. may

be supported on a mandrel or holder H extending from an arm or bracket B which is clamped to a tubular upright or post P. The strand of yarn g is drawn off from the cone C over the end thereof without rotation of the package and is then passed through the tension-device. indicated generally at T, whence it leads to the warper or other machine or apparatus in which it is wound on a spool or beam or converted to any other purpose. I

In the present embodiment of the invention the tension-device comprises a support or bracket 2 which may be mounted at the front of the creel frame or attached to any suitable support on a. winding or other machine. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the bracket 2 is'formed at one side with a jaw 3 adapted to partly surround a bar or rod l constituting one of the uprightsof the creelyor in other instances it may be a part of the winding or other machine. A set-screw threaded through one side of the jaw 3 is set up against the side of the rod 4 to clamp the bracket 2 in fixed position thereon.

The bracket 2 is formed with a semi-circu sectional view taken. on

lar portion 6 having a raised rim 7, see Fig. 3. Arranged axially of the semi-circular portion 6 is a hub 8 connected thereto by radial arms 9 and 10, the upper edges of which ar recessed below the top of the rim 7. A third radial arm or spoke 11 extends from the hub 8 outwardly to a straight portion 12 of the bracket which projects forwardly from the end of its semi-circular portion 6. At the side of the bracket 2 is an arm 14 disposed in parallel relation to the portion 12 of the bracket and continued downwardly to form a hook 15 having an elongated beak 16, see Fig. 3. The hook portion 15 of the bracket has an opening 17 for receiving and guiding the thread or yarn y and forwardly thereof an arched bridge-piece 18 extends between the side 12 of the bracket and arm 14 to serve as a mounting for a thread-eye or guide 20. The guide 20 maybe of porcelain or like Vitreous material and is of eyelet form with its main body portion cemented or otherwise suitably secured in the hollow of the arched bridge piece 18. Thethread-eye 20 may have a slit in its underside through which the yarn can be entered by drawing it up along the beak 16 whereby to provide for convenient threading of the tension-device.

A second thread-eye or guide 21'is provided for directing the yarn y outwardly from the tension-device and this may take the form of a porcelain member held on a wire arm 22 fastened to the vertical face 23 at the end of the portion 12 of the bracket 2. The wire 22 is bent into a loop 24, through which extends a screw 25 screwed into the end of the portion 12 of the bracket. The porcelain guide 21 has an axial thread passage 26 for the yarn and is preferably provided with a biased or obliquely-extending opening 27 through which the strand may be entered into the passage 26.

The tension-device proper comprises a pair of disks 30 and 31 of concavo-convex shape rotatively supported on a vertical stud or post 32 rising from the central hub 8 of the bracket 2. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the stud or post 32 is formed with a relatively large body portion 33 terminating at the top in an overhanging head 34. A screw 35 extends down through the axial bore in the post 32 with its end screwed into a threaded bore in the hub 8. The post 32 is preferably constructed of wear-resisting material and it has been found that oilor graphite-impregnated wood, such as used for oilless bearings. is well suited for the purpose. I

The tension-disks 30 and 31 may be stamped from sheet-metal and as herein illustrated the lower one 30 is of thicker stock. The disk 30 is of saucer-like shape having an annular flat portion 36 surrounding its axial opening which is flanged downwardly at 37. Outwardly beyond its annular flat face 36 the disk has a flaring or beveled portion 38 terminating in a downwardly-extending peripheral rim 39. The disk 30 is supported by its rim 39 resting on the bracket 2 and in order to adapt it to turn freely on the central post 32 it engages the bracket at three points only. As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the arms 9, 10 and 11 of the bracket 2 are formed on their upper edges with beveled projections 40 providing knife-edges on which the edge of the rim 39 of the disk 30 rests. Through this construction only slight resistance is oflered to the rotation of the disk by the means and in the manner as later explained.

The upper disk 31 is constructed of relatively thin stock to render it light in weight whereby it is easily influenced to rotation.

The disk 31 has an enlarged axial opening surrounded by a flange 41 which forms an annular neck adapted to be received within the flanged opening of the lower disk 30 with a clearance therearound. The flanges 37 and 41 are designed to provide for a rolling frictional engagement between the two disks whereby the lower one will be rotated slowly from the upper one in the manner as later explained. Adjacent its flanged neck 41 the upper disk 31 is crimped or grooved at 42 to form an annular shoulder 43, and outwardly beyond the shoulder it flares upwardly in a beveled portion corresponding to that of the lower disk. The axial opening in the disk 31 is somewhat larger than the body 33 of the stud 32 but of less diameter than its head 34 so that the latter will prevent the disk from rising up off from the stud. Suflicient clearance is provided between the head 34 of the stud and the neck of the disk 31 to allow considerable axial movement of the upper disk with respect to the lower one.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings the tension-device is illustrated in a slightly modified form of construction wherein means are provided for retaining the upper disk 51 in co-operative relationship with the lower disk 50 without the use of a headed stud or post. In this modified form of construction the stud or post 53 is straight-sided and the upper disk 51 is held in loose connection with the lower disk 50 by a flange 54 at the end of its neck 55. That is to say, the lower end of the neck 55 is swaged or curled outwardly at 56 after the disks have been assembled to prevent the upper disk 51 from being separated from the lower disk 50. In this latter form of construction the lower disk 50 is shown without an interior flange surrounding its axial opening, the frictional engagement of the flange 54 on the upper disk 51 wit-h the thickened edge of the opening in the lower disk 50 being sufficient to effect a rotative action between the disks. The method of operation of the present improved tension-device is as next explained.

The yarn y is drawn off from the cop or cone C, illustrated in Fig. 1, and threaded through the eye 20 in the bracket 2'and thence introduced between the tension-disks 30 and 31. Thisis accomplishedby simply drawing the yarn) between the opposite flaring faces of the disks to lead it around the annular neck 41 on the upper disk 31. The yarn leads out from between the disks preferably at an angle somewhat less than a rightangle with respect to the entering portion of the yarn. The yarn. leading out from between the disks is inserted in the guide-eye 21 by introducingit through the slit 26 thereof and thence the strand may be led to the warper or other point where it is to be taken up in the process for which it is intended. 7

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the strand y, shown as somewhat enlarged in this view, passes from thethread eye 20 across the flat face 36 0f the lower disk 30 and leads around the annular neck 41 of the upper disk 31 with a contact thereon of nearly half the whole circumference of the neck. It will also be observed by reference to Fig. 3 that the upper disk 31 makes contact with the yarn y only at its annularly shouldered portion 43. That is, the upper disk 31 bears on the yarn only at two points, where the'yarn crosses the shouldered portion 43 of the disk in entering the device and again-in leading out therefrom. The upper disk 31 therefore has a very slight engagement with the yarn as far as face contact is concerned, the. main con tact being between the yarn and the annular neck portion 41 of the disk. In this particular respect the present form of tenr sion-device' is materially different from simi-.

lar devices heretofore used in the art wherein the pressure is applied totension the yarn by In the present device the yarirg has a relatively greater surface contact with the bottom disk 30 due toits passage across the fiat annular face 36 thereof. In operation, the yarn feeds through the device at relatively high linear speed and in drawing around-the annular neck 41 of the upper disk 31 it causes the interior of the neck to bear against the periphery of the body portion 33 of the stud or post 32, see Fig. 2. The frictional contact of the yarn on the periphery of the neck 41 sets up a rotary mo: tion of the upper disk 31 which imparts rotation to the lower disk in the manner as later explained. The upper disk, however,

encounters some resistance to turning mo tion due to the friction between its neck 41 and the periphery of the stud 32 and therefore the disk will not spin as is the case with certain tension-devices of similar type as previously used inthe art. In the present device the upper disk has a smooth rotary -motion somewhat slower than the speed of the yarnso that the draft on the strand is resisted to apply the proper degree of tension thereto.

The contact of the yarn with the lower disk applies a certain degree of resistance to its draft and the lower disk isalso rotated from the upper disk at a much slower rate of speed. As the upper disk 31 turns its neck 41 has a rolling contact with the rim of the opening in the lower disk 30, and due to the friction between the relatively extended contacting faces of the neck 41 and flange 37 a slow'rotative movement is set up in the lower disk. This rotary motion of the lower disk 30 is hardly perceptible, yet sufficient to insure thatthe yarn drawing across its flat face 36 will not be allowed'to score or cut a groove therein. That is to say, the slow turning of the lower disk operates to continuously present new wearing surface to the yarn. so thatthe whole face of the disk is evenlysubjected thereto. Stated briefly, the turning of the disks past the yarn'at the points where it enters and leaves the disks prevents abnormal wear and "scorthe deposit of other foreign matter on the tension elements. It is well known that in tensioning cotton, woolen or worsted yarns there is a considerable amount of lint or fly thrown off from the strand as it passes through the tensioning means, and in time this efliorescence will accumulate in such amount as to prevent the proper functioning of thetension-device. In some cases it will separate the disks to prevent them from bearing; against the yarn, or in other instances it may enter into the axial openings to clog the bearings and prevent rotation of the disks. With the present improved construction of the device the continuous rapid rotation of the upper disk tends to throw off any particles of lint or other matter adhering thereto and, likewise, the slow movement of the lower disk has this tendency to force out the lint, dust or other matter to prevent it from ac cumulating to interfere with or prevent the proper functioning of the device.

The modified form of deviceshown in Fig. 4 operates in the same manner as that first described, the only difference in the construction being that the post 53 is not provided with a head for holding the upper disk in place. In the latter construction the upper disk 51 is held from displacement with respect to the lower disk '50 by means of the stud 53, thus providing for more convenient assembling and disassembling of the parts.

The present-improved tension-device is particularly adapted for tensioning silk, rayon and other glazed yarns of either animal, vegetable or synthetic fibers. In handling rayonand like synthetic materials it has been found that an oily, rather sticky substance is given off fromthe yarn in its contact with the tension-disksand this may form a deposit which will eventually interfere with the proper operation of the tension-device. With the present improved device the excretion from the material is not permitted to remain as a deposit on the tension-disks, but is dissipated and thrown 05 as the, disks are rotated by the linear motion of the yarn.

-Due to the improved construction of the present tensioi'i-device and its peculiar and novel method of operation it has been proved to be of great efficiency, particularly in ten sioning artificial silk and rayon yarns delivering at high speed to warping or other processes, It has been stated that the upper tension-disk, due to its frictional contact with the axial post and its rolling engagement with the under dlsk, 1s prevented from spinnlng or turning at excessive speed to cause cured with other tensioning-means previously used in the art.

The present device is adapted for use in multiple on aicreel or other supply-holder wherefrom, a large number of ends are to be beamed, spooled or warped and forthis application-it operates to maintain a uniform tension on all of the yarns, resulting in im' proved spooling, winding or warping.

Thepresent device is extremely simple in construction, having a minimum number of elements which are practically proof against derangement or getting out of order, and therefore it is more efiicient and durable in use over long periods.

\Vhile the improved tension-device is herein shown and described in two preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that other modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. A tension-device comprising a pair of opposed disks between which the yarn feeds, one of said disks provided with an axial opening and the other of said disks having an annular neck projecting into the opening in the first disk, said disks so arranged that the yarn drawing around the annular neck of one disk imparts a rotary motion thereto and the rolling engagement of said neck with the opening in the opposite disk sets up a rotary action of the latter.

2. A tension-device comprising a pair of disks between which the yarn is adapted to draw, one disk having an axial opening and the other disk having an annular neck projecting through said opening to engage the rim thereof, whereby when the strand is drawn between the disks and around the annular neck of one of them it imparts a rotary motion thereto and the rolling engagement of the neck of said disk with the interior of the opening in the other disk sets up a slower rotative movement of the latter disk.

3. In a tension-device, the combination of a post, a tension-disk having an axial opening surrounding the post, and a second disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and provided with an annular neck projecting into the opening of thefirst disk to provide a rolling frictional engagement thereagainst, whereby when one disk is rotated by the contact of the yarn on its annular neck portion said disk will impart a rotary motion to the other disk.

4. Ina tension-device, the combination of a bracket, a post on said bracket, a concavoconvex tension-disk arranged with its rim supported from the bracket and provided with an axial opening surrounding the post, and a second disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and provided with an annular neck portion projecting from its opening through the opening in the first disk to effect a rolling frictional rotative action between the disks. I

. '5. In a tension-device, the combination of a bracket having ahub with arms radiating therefrom, a vertical post supported from the hub, knife-edges projecting upwardly from the spokes, a concavo-convex tension-disk having its rims resting on the knife-edges and provided with an axial opening surrounding the post, a second concavo-convex disk arranged above the first disk with its axial opening surrounding the post and provided with an annular neck portion projecting-through the opening in the first disk to provide a frictional rolling engagement between the disks.

6. In a tension-device, the combination of a bracket, a headed post supported on said bracket, a concavo-convex tension-disk having an axial opening surrounding the post with its rim resting on the bracket, a second concavo-convex disk arranged inopposed rela tion to the first disk with its axial opening surrounding the post beneath the head thereof, said upper disk having an annular neck portion projecting through the axial opening in the first disk to-providea rolling frictional engagement therewith.

7. In a tension-device, the combination of a pair of concavo-convex disks, each provided with an axial opening, one of said disks having an annular neck projecting into the axial III opening of the opposite disk and formed with an annular shoulder on its convex face spaced at a distance from its neck, said disks being arranged so that the yarn drawing around the annular neck of one disk at the side of the annular shoulder thereof imparts a rotary motion to said disk and the rolling engagementof its neck with the rim of the opening in the opposite disk sets up a rotary action of the latter.

8. In a tension-device, the combination of a support, a post rising from said support, a concavoconvex disk arranged with its rim resting on said support and having an axial opening surrounding the post, and a second similar disk arranged above the first disk with its axial opening surrounding the post and provided with an annular neck projecting through the opening in the first disk and in frictional engagement with the rim thereof whereby the rotation of the second disk imparts rotary motion to the first disk, said neck being flanged outwardly at its end to prevent the separation of the disks.

9. A tension-device comprising a pair of concavo-convex disks having axial openings and face portions flaring outwardly therefrom toward their peripheries, one of said disks provided with an annular neck portion projecting through the opening in the other disk and having means at its end to prevent separation of the disks, the annular neck portion of one disk being adapted to engage frictionally with the rim of the opening in the other disk whereby to impart rotary motion to the latter when the first disk is rotated by the action of the yarn drawing around its annular neck portion.

10. In a tension-device, the combination of a bracket, a post of friction-reducing material rising from said bracket, a concavoconvex tension-disk having an axial opening surrounding the post, and a second concavoconvex disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and provided with an annular neck projecting from its opening through the opening in the opposite disk, the

annular neck on the second disk being adapt ed to engage frictionally with the rim of the opening in the first disk to impart rotation to the latter when the second disk is rotated by iihe draft of the yarn passing around its nec 11. In a tension-device, the combination of a bracket, a post rising from said bracket, a concavo-convex disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and its outer rim resting on the bracket, and a second concavoconvex disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and an annular neck proj ecting from its opening through the opening in the first disk, said second disk formed with an annular groove surrounding its neck portion to provide a projecting shoulder on its face for engagement with the yarn drawing between the disks, said disks being arranged to adapt the yarn to draw around the annular neck of the second disk to impart rotation thereto and said neck frictionally engaging the rim of the opening in the first disk to rotate the latter.

12. In a tension-device, the combination of a bracket having a central hub with spokes radiating therefrom, said spokes having beveled projections on their upper edges, a post mounted on the hub, a concavo-convex disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and provided with a flaring face terminating in a flanged rim resting on the beveled projections of the spokes of the bracket, and a second concavo-convex disk having an axial opening surrounding the post and a face flaring outwardly to its rim, said second disk provided with an annular neck projecting through the opening in the first disk to engage the interior thereof to provide a rolling frictional engagement therebetween.

In testimony whereof I hereunto'aflix my signature.

ERNEST R. SVVANSON. 

